This invention generally relates to fuel deoxygenation system for removing oxygen from a jet fuel stream. More particularly, this invention relates to an electrochemical device and catalyst for removing oxygen from a fuel stream.
It is common practice to use fuel as a cooling medium for various systems onboard an aircraft. The usable cooling capacity of a particular fuel is limited by coke deposition, which is dependent on the amount of dissolved oxygen present within the fuel due to prior exposure to air. It has been determined that decreasing the amount of dissolved oxygen present within the jet fuel reduces the formation of insoluble products referred to as “coke” or “coking”.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,315,815 and 6,709,492 assigned to Applicant, disclose devices for removing dissolved oxygen using a gas-permeable membrane disposed within the fuel system. A partial oxygen pressure differential across the permeable membranes drives oxygen from the fuel. A vacuum pump or strip gas is utilized for generating the partial oxygen pressure differential. Generation of a large pressure differential requires a robust support structure for supporting the permeable membrane and a strip gas requires a storage vessel on board the vehicle or aircraft.
Accordingly, it is desirable to design and develop a system and device with reduced weight, structure and complexity for removing oxygen from a jet fuel stream.